Tilting device



Dec. 31, 1940. H. G. BALTHASAR TILTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1938 I N VEN TOR. MM

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 31, 1940 PATENT OFFICE TILTING DEVICE Harry G.Balthasar, West Tower Park, Ohio, assignor to The Edward J. HofiCompany, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 25,1938, Serial No. 236,918

Claims. h (Cl. 156-17) This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and isparticularly directed to improvement of the device for tilting the slatsof the blind. The slats of a Venetian blind are usually supported or 5suspended on cloth strips or cords suspended between pairs of verticallydisposed parallel strips of cloth. The strips of each pair are supportedor attached to the opposite side edges of a tilt bar rotatably mountedin brackets in the operl0 ating assembly of the Venetian blind fixed atthe vent slippage or creepage thereof or change of position with theresult that the cords, shifting in position, have become sobadlydisplaced that the tilt bar could not be operated through its fullrange. That is to say, one length of cord '25 becomes much longer thanthe other when the bar is at .level position. Therefore one of the knobswill be so close to the reel as to prohibit a full tilting motion. vThis factor of slippage has caused inconvenience to the user and to themanufacturer, for, in order to reestablish the correct position of thecords, it has been necessary to disassemble the reel. The reels of thepast have been complex, and have required special service not only inthe event of slippage of the cords but in the event of breakage.

The present inventors objective has been the solution of this problem ofelimination of slippage, and further, the provision of a reel of theutmost simplicity, in which the operating cords may be installed with aminimum of effort and mechanical understanding.

Inthe presentinvention, an operating ribbon or tape is used, whichprovides a much broader 46 traction than round cord, by virtue of itsflat contact surface, and which, by virtue of its arrangement on theoperating shaft, provides increased area of contact for the preventionof slippage due to the fact that the tape may always be wound or snubbedaround the reel a number of times regardless of the position of thetilting bar. In other words, by a very simple and novel expedient, ithas been arranged that the operating medium, whether ribbon or roundcord and although in one single length, will wind is generally indicatedat ID.

or spool in adjacent planes for the respective directions of rotation ofthe tilt bar shaft, so that, as the extended ribbon is unwound in onedirection of tilting motion, it rewinds that portion of the ribbonelfective for causing rotation in the opposite direction.

A structural embodiment, resulting from the inventors objectives, mayconsist, as disclosed herein, of a single shaft and a. single length ofoperating ribbon with operating knobs on the respective ends. Thisribbon may have its exact central portion in non-rotative connectionwith the shaft, and arranged to spool in respectively oppositedirections on each side of a separator. The connection or the relationof the tape to the shaft is such as to positively prohibit relativemovement between the tape and the shaft.

Due to the use of ribbon or tape, a greater traction is assured, andeven spooling and reeling of the device is definitely procured. It is 20pointed out, however, that the tape as opposed to the cord, althoughessential to certain aspects of the invention, is not necessary toothers.

Other objects and certain advantages will be more fully apparent in thedescription of the 25 accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of a portion of a Venetian blindparticularly illustrating the tilting bar reel of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, 3 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view,

illustrating the reel partially assembled. 35

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4, and illustrating afurther step in the assembly, with the tape or ribbon in position.

Figure 6 is a view of the upper portion of a window frame, showing aVenetian blind incor- 40 porating the present improvement mountedtherein.

Referring to the drawing, the window frame The head rail II of theVenetian blind is mounted in the window 45 frame on end brackets I 2-42.The tilt bar I3 of the blind is rotatably mounted on the head rail. Oneend thereof includes a spindle l4, journalled in a bracket 1 5.

The other end of the tilt bar, which is the end concerned here, isprovided with an operating bracket I6 of U-form. A mounting clip I! issecured to the under side and end of the tilt bar, and includes aportion projecting in parallelism with the bar into a slot l8 of one armof 56 the U-shaped bracket. The other arm of the U-shaped bracket isrotatably mounted in a fixed bracket l9 by means of a pivot pin 20. Thearm of the bracket, which is thus mounted, includes worm wheel teethhaving their pitch line disposed on the axis of the pivot pin 20. Theseteeth 2| are in mesh with a worm 22 fixed on the reel shaft 23,journalled in the fixed plate I9. The' fixed plate [9 includes anattaching flange 24- secured to the under side of'the head rail II bymeans of screws 25.

A hearing 26, in the form of a sleeve, is secured in a depressed portionof the fixed plate and is held there by means of a strap 21, fixed tothe rigid plate and lying in an annular groove of the bearing. A hangerstrap 28 additionally supports the pivot pin 20 on the tilting bracket.An end plate 30 for the reel housing is fixed on a counterturned portionof the bearing sleeve, and is held in non-rotative connection with'thefixed plate by means of .an extension 3| on the plateengaged in anaperture inthe end plate. The tiltbar operating shaft 23 carries theworm 22 on its inner end and is counterturned at the portion extendingthrough the bearing to provide a shoulder lying against the outer end ofthe bearing, which shoulder, in conjunction with the worm, preventsdisplacement of the reel.

.I'he reel housing 32. provides an end wall 33 and a cylindrical wall34,and is fitted upon the shaft with the cylindrical wall overhanging theof slightlyless, width than thediameter' of the shaft atthe base of theannular groove, but with a bore 39 ,of slightly greater diameter thanthe diameter at the base of the groove. Thus the washer may be insertedacross the face of the housing in the groove, and will snap intoposition where it will remain against easy displacement. j

A separator washer or disc 40 is engaged upon the shaft within thehousing; The shaft is diametrically slotted as at 4| from its outer endto the inside wall of'the'housing for receiving the elevating ribbon ortape 42.

As shown in Figure 4, the tape is first inserted through this washer orseparator 40, and, with the tape disposed in the plane of the diametricslot, the assembled washer and tape are slipped into position.Beforeplacing the housing over the tape and washer thus assembled, (seeFigure 5) each length of the tape thus constituted is wound a number ofturns around'the shaft.

The respective lengths are woundin opposite directions.

;The ,housing includes a slot 43 with appropriately curved guide flanges'44 longitudinally along its lower side through which the tapes dependinto position of use. Each end of the tape is provided with amanipulating knob 45. A spacer pin 46 keeps the lengths of cordseparated as they move through the slot 43.

7 Thus it will be seen that, with the'tilt bar set at level position,andthe ribbon wound several times at each side ofthe separator 'plateinopposite directions, acertainamount of the tape will be spooledor'reeled at all times; This,'in

conjunction with the broad tread afforded by ribbon, will entirelyprevent slippage. In efiect, the tape is snubbed a number of timesregardless of the position of the tilter, and the area of frictionalcontact is materially increased so that adequate winding traction isassured.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a tilting device, a shaft, a single length of ribbon havingmanipulating knobs at its 'respective ends, said ribbon fixed to theshaft intermediate of the length of ribbon, a separator plate fordividing the length of the shaft into separate reeling portions for therespective lengths of ribbon, said ribbon wound in respectively oppositedirections and having a number of turns of one or the other length woundaround the shaft at all times.

2. A tilting mechanism for Venetian blinds including an operating shaft,said shaft diametrically slotted from one end inwardly, three spaceddiscs dividing the shaft into adjacent reel portions, a length ofoperating ribbon having manipulating knobs -on its opposite ends anddisposed through said slot in the shaft withthe respective portionsthereof on each side of the portiontraversing the slot, woundinopposite-directions about the shaft.

3. In a tilt device, a shaft, lengths of ribbon wound upon adjacentportions of the shaft in opposite directions, the turns of each woundportion of the ribbon being disposed upon each other, and means operatedby the shafthaving a limited range of travel, a number of turns of eachlength of ribbon being wound around said shaft a number of times at alltimes, regardless of the position of the means operated by the shaft.

4. In a tilting device for operating a Venetian blind tilt bar, a shaft,a length of cord disposed diametrically through said shaft and dependingfrom opposite sides of the shaft, knobs fixed on the ends of thedepending portions of the cord, and separator means on the shaft causingsaid respective lengths of cord to wind in adjacent planes. 1 v

5. A tilting bar mechanism for Venetian blinds, comprising a tilt bar, ashaft, a rotative connection between said shaft and said tilt bar, abracket for mounting said shaft, a housingfixed on said bracket andsubdivided to provide two compartments, said shaft diametricallyslotted, an elevating cord disposed through said slot and having itsends depending from said housing, one portion of the cordwound aroundthe shaft in one compartment of the housing, and the other portion woundaround the shaft in the othercompartment of the housing in a directionopposite to the first named portion of the .cord.

6. In a tilting device for tilting the slats of a Venetian blind, ashaft, lengths of ribbon having manipulating knobs at their respectiveends, said lengths of ribbon fixed to the shaft, a separator plate fordividing the length of the shaft into separate reeling portions for therespective lengths of ribbon, said ribbon woundin respectively oppositedirections, the turns of the-ribbon in each wound portion wound uponeach other.

7. A tilting mechanism for Venetian blinds, comprising, an operatingshaft, said shaft including a diametric slot, three spaced discs formingadjacent reeling portions on the shaft, a length of operating corddisposed through said slot in the shaft with the respective portionsthereof on each side of that portion traversing tlfiefilot, woundinopposite directions about the s a 8. In a tilt device, a shaft, and alength of ribbon attached to said shaft intermediate the length ofribbon and wound upon adjacent portions of the shaft in oppositedirections, and means for separating the respectively wound portions ofsaid ribbon.

9. A tilting means, comprising, a shaft, a length of ribbon disposeddiametrically through said shaft and depending from opposite sides ofthe shaft, knobs fixed on the ends of the depending portions of thecord, separator means on the shaft causing said respective length ofcord to wind in adjacent planes and, a housing for said shaft.

10. A tilting bar mechanism for Venetian blinds, a shaft, a bracket formounting said shaft, a housing fixed on said bracket and subdivided toprovide two compartments, an elevating cord engaged with said shaft andhaving its ends depending from said housing, one portion of the cordwound around the shaft in one compartment of the housing, and the otherportion wound around the shaft in the other compartment of the housingin a direction opposite to the first named portion of the cord.

HARRY G. BALTHASAR.

